Memory Blossom
by AFKei
Summary: After stepping within the land of Filia, Keiko is welcomed to the land of elves. Within the village grounds, however, she finds an elf believed to have little to no gift in a bow...
1. Season 1: Fallow Land

AFKei here! Thanks for looking into "Memory Blossom"! Several things...

-Although this does involve two of my characters, there is no romantic relations between them.

-This takes place in Chapter 2, where Tailteann and beyond did not exist. This also means there are a couple of inconsistencies from their present selves.

-You CAN find either one of these characters in the Mari server!

-This is one of my more serious stories. There may not be any scenes of comedy relief.

**DISCLAIMER: I am NOT devCat and do not own this game or any part of it. This is purely fanmade material written for** **pleasure and enjoyment.**

Enjoy the story!

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><p>Season 1: Fallow Land<p>

_A Warrior without a sword is like a Wolf that doesn't feast on meat._

_If you take away what makes someone or something complete, it's just an incomplete being._

_A nobody..._

_This marks a tale..._

_...of an ungifted being._

Filia, once a lush plain, it is now a desert with its people surviving through an oasis. This is home to the elves, ones gifted with a marksman's eye and agile bodies. Many can tell who is an elf by their elongated ears and light complexion. However, has one ever seen an elf unable to use a bow? Not yet...

Crossing through Longa Desert's sandstorm seems to be a girl wearing a pink-colored robe, adorned with an emblem on the front, shaped like a crescent moon. She has her hood on as not to have any sand interfere with her face. Her face partially wrapped by what appears to be an extremely pale pink-colored ribbon, to act as a muffler. Although it appears white normally, its pink color is evident under the bright light of Palala, Erinn's sun. Braving the storm on a black-colored Shire horse, she and her fleet-footed animal companion has scaled many dunes capable of collapsing any step. Even with a map of the Connus region, travelers can still be lost due to the obscuring dust.

_I think I see a light piercing through the dust. I just know it!_ She thought.

The light seen from afar is the light of a Mana Tunnel built just outside the desert town. It was not long until the traveler and her horse are out of the storm and in Filia. Unhooding herself, locks of brown hair just barely passing her shoulders waved in the light breeze of Connus. She also removed her "muffler" from her face, fully revealing her face and shed her robe, as it was used for protection from the sandstorm. Under the robe revealed a pink-colored school uniform, complemented with a purple-colored neckerchief, matching her soft purple eye color. With her uniform are a pair of long, off-white colored wave-patterned boots, which serve more for function than style.

"So, this must be the desert town I've been hearing about..." the brown-haired girl spoke. Looking at her horse, she stroked it by the mane. "You've done your job well Monogatari. Thank you."

In a bright light, her horse dematerialized from its physical form into a card, which she quickly put away in her bag. At the same time, she pulled out a white-colored beret, adorned with a pale pink feather from the side and began wearing it onwards to the desert town.

_Wow, I never thought anyone could survive in such a desolate place._ She pondered, taking into the scenery. However, because she is not an elf, the elves could not help but draw attention to the human girl.

"Who is that girl? She doesn't seem to be from here," one elf whispered to another.

"Is she an enemy to us?" another elf murmured.

"She doesn't seem to be a threat..." a third elf responded.

While passing by the square, she notices an elf that can barely move, unable to walk to the Healer's House. Unable to ignore the injury, she walks up to the elf looking at the injured leg.

"H-hey! What are you doing!" shouted the elf, dejected at the human girl's attempt to help.

"Oh dear, this needs some immediate recovery!" She held out her hand towards the bruise, shrouded in a lush green aura. The aura pulsed, transferring its healing properties to the injury which slowly faded away. "How does it feel now?" she asked, pulling the now healed elf up on his feet. He began stepping on it, noticing the injury is gone.

"I-it's gone! The pain's gone!" he exclaimed, grateful for the girl's help. "I have to repay you for helping me!" he began digging in his pockets for a small bag of gold.

"Oh, I don't need any payment. It's what I do!" she modestly replied.

"It isn't much, but I'm grateful for your ability." He handed the girl a small bag of money, roughly around 500 gold. "You're not from around here are you?" he asked soon after.

"No, I'm actually from Tir Chonaill, Uladh," she answered.

"Uladh...?" the elf cocked his head curiously, noticing the ears are not of his kind. "Ah! You're a human! We rarely get to meet your kind!" suddenly, he grabs the girl by the wrist, dragging her to the village elder, Castanea.

"W-wait! Where are you taking me!" she shouted, being dragged and forced to sprint.

"Introducing you to the Elder of Filia, Castanea!" he answered back, running roughly thirty percent faster on foot.

Running past the Memory Tower, he "lead" the girl to the chief's home so she may meet Castanea. Unfortunately, the girl is not as fast as an elf, exhausting her much quickly when she tried to keep up.

"C-c-could you slow down? I'm not as fast as most people!" she gasped for air.

"Slow down? This is how I normally run..."

After catching her breath, she looked up to see a purple-haired woman, her hair intricately braided together. The eyes, that of the sky's color, give contrast to her overall appearance.

_Oh wow...she's beautiful... _The recovering human girl thought as she stood up straight.

"You must be a traveler. My name is Castanea, the chief of the elves of Filia. I welcome you to our village," Castanea spoke.

"It is an honor to to be in your presence Castanea. My name is Keiko, an explorer and traveling Healer," she replied, bowing respectfully.

"It is a pleasure to meet a human such as you in Filia. Because of our location, we rarely meet anyone not of elven blood."

"I'm amazed how one can survive in such harsh conditions. I understand living in the mountains, but a desert is beyond my comprehension." Keiko remarked about the town's conditions.

"That is because of the oasis in the middle of Filia," Castanea answered, pointing at the Memory Tower; Keiko turned around in response. "Without the lake, our kind would most likely cease to exist."

_Of course. The oasis is a source of water, clean presumably. _Keiko mentally noted.

"If you want...you may ally with our kind, acknowledging that you are not a threat to the elves and citizen of Filia," Castanea offered this opportunity to Keiko. "However, if you agree to this, you will be considered an enemy of the Giants."

"I could ally with the elves?" Keiko began to ponder about her decision. _Right, I read something that the Elves and Giants are rivaling races in Iria. _After much thought, Keiko finally responded, "I'm sorry, I need some time to think about this."

"It's understandable. This is an important decision." Castanea understood Keiko's circumstances.

"Thank you for recognizing my situation," Keiko bowed towards Castanea and took her leave.

_If I become part of the elves, I'd be an enemy of the giants...I definitely need to think about this._ Keiko began scratching her head in this quandary.

Returning to the town square, she looked at the Memory Tower carefully. _Such a mystic monument. Does it have any importance to this town?_ While looking at the tower, there is a lone elf in the distance, sitting some distance west from Castanea's house. _Wha...? What is that person doing all on his own? _Curious, she began to approach the elf. As she got closer, the elf appears to have blonde hair that appears to be unkempt for quite some time. Under the fringe is golden-colored eyes, but it is hard to see as the loner's head is hanging down. Once she got close enough to the isolated elf, she attempted to strike a conversation.

"Hey...why are you all alone?" Keiko asked, attempting to get eye contact.

The elf doesn't respond.

"Do you need some company?"she asked again.

The elf looks toward Keiko's direction, but doesn't realize her presence until actually seeing her face.

"AAAH!" he shouted, "D-d-don't startle me like that!"

"Sorry," Keiko apologized. "Do you need company though? I can leave you alone if you want..."

"...stay if you want..." he replied.

"Okay." Keiko agreed and sat down beside him. "So, what's your name? My name's Keiko."

The elf doesn't respond...

"Do you want to tell me your name?"

He doesn't respond again...

"...You're not much of a talker are you...?" Keiko sighed, and looked out into the horizon. Realizing she forgot to re-tie her ribbon back to her clothes, she wrapped her pink-white ribbon under her uniform's neckerchief, and began knotting a bow.

"...Shiryoku..." the elf murmured.

"...what was that?" Keiko asked, unable to comprehend his soft-spoken voice.

"Shiryoku. My name is Shiryoku," he spoke up.


	2. Season 2: A Lone Seed

NOTE: There might be some "overlap" in the conversations, distinguished with bold text and ='s

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><p>Season 2: A Lone Seed<p>

"Shiryoku? That's a nice name," Keiko complimented him.

"It means 'eyesight.' Quite fitting how we elves can aim well with a bow." Shiryoku replied. "...a gift I unfortunately lack."

"What!" Keiko exclaimed. "Your eyesight is just fine though! You saw my face didn't you?" She turned towards the short-eared elf, "Tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?" she asked, holding up two fingers and a thumb.

Shiryoku looked at Keiko's hand, clearly seeing her three fingers and answered, "Three."

Then Keiko left her index finger out...

"One."

Then all five...

"Five."

Then two more fingers with her other hand.

"Seven."

"See! Your sight =**You don't understand.**= is just fine!" Keiko objected to Shiryoku's disability. "There's no reason that you're not gifted!"

"I said you don't understand," Shiryoku complained.

"What do you mean?" she questioned him.

"I can't use a bow," Shiryoku retorted.

"...what?" she asked, completely bewildered.

"I said I can't use a bow!" Shiryoku snapped, turning away from Keiko. "I told you I'm not gifted..."

"Don't say that. Everyone can have a gift in at least one thing," Keiko attempted to cheer him up. "I'm able to..."

"Well, I don't have any talent. I'm a total disgrace to my kind. I just exist," he interrupted.

"E-excuse me! I wasn't finished!" Keiko snapped at Shiryoku's rudeness.

"How would you know how I feel? You're well equipped, you..." Shiryoku squabbled.

"LISTEN TO ME! You may not look like much now but if you pour your heart and soul into something, you'll eventually blossom into something amazing!" Keiko shouted.

"I don't believe you," Shiryoku scoffed.

"...If you don't believe what I say then I wouldn't have said it at all," Keiko sighed, turning away from him.

_What's with her trying to pry in my worthless existence? It's not like it's her business at all. _Shiryoku thought, contemplating about what Keiko mentioned about gifts. _Though...how I reacted was not like me at all. There's something about her that made me act out of character. She seemed passionate about my status. More like...**com**passionate._

"...Could you tell me more about yourself?" Shiryoku asked.

"I thought you believed I'm of a higher class," Keiko scoffed.

"It's not that! It's just...you seemed passionate in helping me out..." he rephrased himself.

"Well...you were pushing my buttons when you kept bashing on yourself like that. It's something I hold close to my heart," she explained, turning towards Shiryoku again. "I say everyone has a gift because something does not come out of nothing. It is something that must be nurtured."

"Then...could you help me find it?" Shiryoku asked.

"I'd be insulted if you didn't ask," Keiko agreed, her face lit up with joy. She stood up and held out her hand to the elf. "Stand up. Sitting around won't do a thing."

Shiryoku listened and took Keiko's hand, believing she would pull him up. She did, but more than pulling him on his feet occurred. As soon he took hold, a bright light shined from their hands, enshrouding them. When the light faded, the duo was gone.

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><p>[Tir Chonaill]<p>

A lush, green village sits upon a hill, along with the Adelia Stream flowing from the mountains behind it. It is the northernmost town of the Uladh continent, and a beginning for everyone. The town may not seem like much, but it has everything a fledgling adventurer needs to begin their journey: A blacksmith shop for weapons, a grocery store for food, even a school if one needs to learn the basics. The outskirts of town, however, are occupied by wolves, which are potential threats to the inexperienced.

A light materializes right on the town square, surrounded by bushes and lights, allowing direction in the middle of the night. As the light fades Keiko and Shiryoku reappear from the humid desert of Filia to the more temperate climate of Tir Chonaill.

Keiko spoke, "Well, here we are. Tir Cho-"

"AAAH!" Shiryoku shouted in a panic, nervously looking around the unfamiliar territory. "W-w-w-where are we!"

"We're in Tir Chonaill of the Uladh continent, the land I come from," Keiko answered.

"But but but the monsters around here..." Shiryoku nervously stammered.

"Calm down. I know my way around here. If I didn't I wouldn't have brought you here!"

Shiryoku took a deep breath to calm himself. "Okay..."

"Say uh...I never knew how old you are..." Keiko pondered, implying a question.

"I'm twleve," Shiryoku answered.

"Only twelve? But-but-but you're almost as tall as I am!" Keiko stuttered, surprised to see Shiyoku much younger than she assumed. She could barely comprehend this, even barely having her words leave her mouth.

"Eheheh...I get comments about that a lot," Shiryoku nervously chuckled.

"Well, can I ask you something?" Keiko requested.

"What is it?"

"Could you show me what you **can** do with a bow?" Keiko asked.

Shiryoku adverts his gaze as if he was guilty of something.

"Shiryoku?" Keiko called to him.

"...alright...But like I said. I can't use bows..." he reluctantly answered, grabbing hold of his short bow with his left hand and two arrows in between the fingers of his right hand.

"Let's see if there's an easy target for you to shoot..." Keiko walked up the hill, while Shiryoku followed her lead. She was leading him to the graveyard, known to have swarms of spiders crawling around.

"These guys should be easy practice for you," Keiko said, pointing at the spiders, but he was nowhere to be seen... "Shiryoku?"

"Th-th-those spiders...!" Shiryoku quivered in fear. He is hiding behind Keiko fearfully, having never seen an insect this huge his entire life. The spiders are practically the size of a fully grown wolf!

_Oh right, I never took into account him traveling outside Iria. Of course he'd be unfamiliar with Uladh._ Keiko remembered. "Oi! You won't be able to kill them if you stand there!" She dragged Shiryoku out, gesturing him to shoot.

"A...Alright..." Shiryoku readies his bow in his left hand, pulling the string back with his right hand, loaded with two arrows. His form is correct, contrary to what he claims.

"Your form looks right. Try and shoot now," Keiko pointed out, encouraging him to take the a shot.

Listening to Keiko, Shiryoku lets go of the string, propelling the two arrows right at his target. They _appear_ to be aimed directly at the spider...but they barely graze the creature, not taking a direct hit.

"Ooh, you're close. Try again!" Keiko encouraged Shiryoku again.

Shiryoku tries again...

Twice more...

And then thrice more...

Not a single arrow hits the spider. The spider just stood there, as if it is very confused, with arrows scattered around it sticking from the ground. Keiko, dumbfounded, requests something from Shiryoku.

"Excuse me, could I see that bow and arrows?" she asked.

"Sure...I guess..." Shiryoku agreed, handing over his weapons for her to borrow for a moment. Keiko then drew the bow and arrow and aimed at the spider Shiryoku failed to hit. With one shot, the spider has fallen to Keiko. Confused, Keiko carefully looked at the bow and arrows Shiryoku uses. Neither of the two are flawed.

"That's strange...Your weapon's just fine...I'm not that great with bows and I can aim well enough to hit my target." Keiko murmured, completely clueless.

"I told you I had no gift in a bow. Could you take me back to Fili-" Shiryoku sighed, asking Keiko to take him back to his homeland.

"No! I'm not letting you give up this easily!" Keiko shouted. "Maybe today's not your day...Why not I show you around this continent?"

"...Okay..." Shiryoku answered, nervous by the land foreign to him.

"Good!" Keiko reached out her hand to pull Shiryoku up on her horse, which she summoned to traverse the Connus reigon.

_Where...did that horse come from?_ Shiryoku thought, reaching out to Keiko to ride on her shire horse. She pulls the elf up, having him ride behind her. "Is this horse capable of carrying two people?"

"Monogatari's got strong legs. He's more than capable of doing that." Keiko grabbed onto the horse's bridle. "Hang on tight! Things might get rough!"

Monogatari reared back, neighing as if he's ready to gallop away. Shiryoku, however, did not heed Keiko's warning and nearly falls off. "Whoah!" Shiryoku felt like he was about to fall off, and grabbed ahold of Keiko. Monogatari runs off from Tir Chonaill and onwards to Dunbarton, a much bigger town.


End file.
